The Real Truth About Android TV Boxes

Here Is What You Should Know Before You Buy An Android TV Box

After the popular Free streaming private Roku channel XTV was shut down on Roku for pirated content many people were threatening to dump their Roku media streamers and switch over to Android TV Boxes.

Most All Android TV Boxes Use A Clunky Mobile Phone OS

Over the years we have tried many Android TV boxes and wanted to point out some very important differences between them and Roku or Apple TV.

Both Roku and Apple TV were designed from the ground up to be a media streamer first. A simple media streaming box that could play content from the Internet right onto your TV.

Android on the other hand a form of Linux was designed to run on a smart phone or tablet. Most every one of the cheap Android TV clone boxes simply took this same operating system and placed it on a small media streaming box.

Not that Android does not work well for Kodi or for some of the excellent Android TV apps, it does. If Roku was the only media streamer you ever owned, there will be a learning curve.

The only exceptions to the Android Phone OS are the Nvidia Shield (one of the best by far) and the cheaper Mi Box (lacks Ethernet) both use a special Leanback version of the Android OS. This version was designed to be used more with a remote control sitting 10 feet from your TV and less with your finger on your phone or tablet.

If you have an Android tablet or smart phone Android Rocks and you can still use this to easily cast most of what you're watching right to your TV using your Roku with the All Connect Roku Channel. Both your Roku and handheld device will need to be on the same home network.

All Connect is an app that runs on your Phone or Tablet and lets you cast video content directly to your Roku using both their Android app and Roku channel.

Android Not As Intuitive As Roku Or Apple TV

Unless you have the Nvidia Shield which is the current champ when it comes Android TV boxes because of their Leanback operating system. Compared to the many of the cheaper clones you will not get the same fluid and intuitive interface like what you be used to on Roku or Apple TV.

This means you will need to use a wireless mouse, remote control and maybe even a mini trackpad combo all at the same time. Because many of the apps are not design to be used on your TV and rather controlled with your finger like you would use them on a phone or tablet.

So if you want to keep things relatively simple, the All Connect app on your phone or tablet may be your best solution rather than buying a cheaper Android clone.

Few Updates On Cheaper Throw Away Android Boxes

Before we had a Nvidia Shield we were always looking for a faster better Android TV box. This is because most of the cheap Android clones with the exception of Minix, and Fire TV rarely provide updates once the box is sold.

Minix and to a even a greater extent Nvidia have provided some awesome updates. Nvidia is one of the only manufactures that even provides Android Version updates when newer Android software comes out.

Cheaper Android clone manufactures do not provide version updates. They would rather you buy a newer model all the time.

Limitations Of The Nvidia Shield Or Fire TV

Many people love the Amazon Fire Sticks because they are an inexpensive way to run Kodi. Fire TVs and the Nvidia Shields use a slightly more closed version of Android and require a special loader app to install Android apps that are not in the official Play Store.

True Android diehards would rather have a higher quality fully open Android TV box like the very popular Minix U9-H and don't really mind using a mouse or keyboard/pad combo. These boxes require no work arounds and use a fully 100% unrestricted Android operating system.

Roku will continue to be a great platform for some time to come. Here are a few thousand reasons. Our recommendation is keep your Roku players and if you really want to buy an Android box use both. You may find there is much more to both Android and Roku then meets the eye and owning one of each can be a big plus and not a minus on your journey to cable free TV.

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